This piece is beautifully, closely reported: We admired the scene, for example, in which baby Nick’s heart rate calms as his father caresses and talks to him. This is wonderful, real, touching detail. The piece is also plainly, unsentimentally … Read more
This is deadline narrative, written in a refreshing, just-right, lighthearted tone. The tone is supported by the structure: Perry sets up a question, writes up close to the punch line, then backs up to tell the full story. The writing … Read more
Moehringer writes about a man who, many feel, has been wronged. We like the opening paragraphs of the piece, in which Moehringer is crafty with us readers, leading us in one direction, only to turn another way. We like that … Read more
This is a story about a high school girl, Michelle Dowdy, who auditioned for "Hairspray" on a whim and got a part as the understudy to the lead. When DeGregory’s colleague Kelley Benham emailed us the series, she wrote, "It’s … Read more
This journal about traveling with bird-destruction teams in Turkey is honest, informative and full of voice. This is an intimate sharing of a difficult journey. The author uses first person not to grandstand, but to communicate knowingly, American to American, … Read more
We appreciated the good writing in this piece, the evocative detail garnered through interview. It’s a wonderful example of how narrative techniques can flesh out a story that’s been reported, until then, largely as breaking news. Among the effective detail … Read more
This story gives background on the acquittal of Sami Al-Arian of terrorism charges. In 930 words, Gezari provides an intimate sense of his family, some history of his marriage and a thematic conclusion about American justice. Read “For … Read more
A narrative is a story that has a beginning, middle and end. It engages the reader’s mind and heart. It shows actors moving across its stage, revealing their characters through their actions and their speech. At its heart, a narrative … Read more
Martin and photographer Mike Siegel followed a couple for more than two years as they tried to regain custody of their baby daughter. We liked the ending to the piece, sad and intimate. Read “What’s Best for Baby … Read more
This moving series examines the development of a friendship between high school seniors Iven and Gary, which thrives not despite but because of the financial, legal, academic and family challenges they face. Baltimore Sun reporter Liz Bowie delicately details the mutual loyalty that … Read more